Page 66 of Coming Home to Hope Street

‘No. I told you. I won it!’

She lifted the lid on the suitcase and threw the balaclava at him.

‘What did you use this for then? And the other tools of the trade?’

‘I…I—’

‘I thought you’d changed. But you’ve taken me for a fool yet again.’

Kieran had the decency to hang his head for a moment. ‘I’ve messed up, Liv,’ he said. ‘I owe money in Manchester.’

‘So you thought you’d come to Somerley to steal it?’

‘No! I was hoping that I could start again here, with you and Pip, but I got caught up listening to someone last night talking about the money they were saving for Christmas and I…I just…’ He looked up at her. ‘You have to believe me. I have never done anything like this before. It’s eating on my conscience. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I can’t take back what I did.’

‘Like you robbed the car and the house in Hope Street last week? I’m not that stupid.’

Kieran’s demeanour began to change. ‘You have no proof. So, I was here, kipping on the settee.’

‘You meanIwas asleep while you slipped out. What did you do during the day, scope the place out?’

A blush spread across his cheeks.

‘You must be so pleased with yourself. But these are people I live near to and—’

Kieran harrumphed. ‘You barely know any of them.’

‘They’re decent and hardworking, going out to earn a living. They don’t want someone like you stealing everything because he can’t control his addiction.’

Kieran’s face darkened. Livvy should have paid attention to the warning, but she wasn’t finished with him yet. She glared at him, in that moment hating him more than she’d ever thought possible.

‘It’s not yours to have. I’m taking it back.’

‘No, you’re not!’

Kieran made a dive for the bag, but she snatched it out of his reach.

‘Give it to me,’ he said.

His tone was calm but threatening enough to send shivers down her spine. But she continued regardless.

‘No, it isn’t yours.’

Kieran swiped his hand across her cheek.

Livvy stumbled back a step, then stared at him in shock. In all the time she’d known him, he had never laid a finger on her.

He snatched the bag from her. ‘You don’t know what it’s like. I’ve tried to stop again and again, but this time it’s really got out of hand.’

Livvy said nothing as he pushed his clothes and belongings into the suitcase haphazardly. She watched as he slid the money in the side pocket again and zipped it all up.

In less than two minutes, he was packed.

Livvy wanted to say so much to him, stand up for herself and tell him to get out before he left of his own accord. But she wanted him gone too.

‘I’m sorry I lashed out at you.’ He moved towards the bedroom door. ‘You’re right about one thing, though. I should never have come back. But don’t worry, you’ll never see me again.’

Livvy held her breath until she heard the front door close behind him. Then she burst into tears.

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